We Found an Interesting Article About Our Productivity … on Tuesdays?

Most of us think Mondays are a drag, but what about the rest of the week? Neil Amato wrote in Chartered Global Management Accountant® magazine about an Accountemps survey regarding the best and worst days for U. S. workers.

Survey says . . . Thursday and Friday are days we’re easily distracted, making them our least productive days. On Tuesdays, though, we’re ready to go. It ranks as our most productive day of the week.

The question was posed to HR managers at US companies with at least 20 employees: “In your opinion, on which day of the week are employees generally most productive?” Tuesday won, with 39% of the vote. Surprisingly, Monday was second at 24%, followed by a tie for Wednesday and “no particular day,” each polling 14%. Finally, Thursday, Friday and “don’t know” trailed at 3%.

Accountemps researched similar surveys and found that in 2008 57% of executives working at large companies shared that Tuesday was also the most productive day. In 2002, 1998 and 1987 the same conclusion was reached—Tuesday reigns as our best day to get things done.

Accountemps’ Chairman Max Messmer said, “Many workers spend Monday catching up from the previous week and planning the one ahead. On Tuesday, employees may begin to have time to focus on individual tasks and become more productive.”

Comparing the 2008 survey to the current one shows Thursday also lost productivity, dropping from 11% to 3%, but Monday spiked from 12% to 24%. Friday was at the bottom then, too, with 3%.

Accountemps offered five suggestions to improve productivity, making every day our best day:

Make a to-do list, then prioritize it. A shorter, more realistic list, leaving room for unexpected interruptions, projects and setbacks, will actually boost your productivity.

Focus on one project at a time. Multitasking may lead to quantity, but often at the cost of quality.

Find your natural high. We all know times of the day when we operate at our optimum level. Use that time for your toughest projects.

Eliminate distractions. When you must complete high priority work, close your email and internet browser and avoid co-worker interruptions while tackling those projects.

Use technology. Research the abundance of software waiting to make you more productive. There’s an app for that, but don’t let it distract you.

If your business needs more than additional productivity from you for its success, our Patrick & Robinson CPAs accounting team is here to assist. We help you manage your business at all levels, from accounting and consultation to providing attest financial statements for lenders and government agencies.

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